1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to a sewing apparatus management system for collectively managing a plurality of sewing apparatuses, such as an embroidery sewing machine and an embroidery data processing apparatus, via a network.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, a sewing apparatus, such as an embroidery sewing machine and an embroidery data processing apparatus, includes a control unit similar to a general personal computer to control operations of the sewing apparatus. At a sewing plant where products are manufactured using a plurality of embroidery sewing machines or embroidery data processing apparatuses, in order to manage the entire plant, the terminal of each embroidery sewing machine or embroidery data processing apparatus is connected to a management computer via a network line. Therefore, the embroidery sewing machines or the embroidery data processing apparatuses are collectively managed. Each embroidery sewing machine performs a sewing operation to form an embroidery pattern and the embroidery data processing apparatus creates data for an embroidery pattern. The operations that can be performed on the embroidery sewing machine and the embroidery data processing apparatus are different. However, there is no difference in the invention even when either one is used, so that hereinafter the embroidery sewing machine will be described.
Conventionally, in a management system for the embroidery sewing machines networked as described above, a supervisor generally performs operations by observing information displayed on a display of the management computer sent from each embroidery sewing machine. The information for each embroidery sewing machine includes, for example, an installation site of the embroidery sewing machine, a model, an operating condition, an embroidery pattern name being sewn, and an operator""s name. There are various kinds of embroidery patterns. For example, there are small embroidery patterns, such as a patch and a mark on a cap, and large embroidery patterns, such as those formed on a back of a jacket or on a short split curtain. Further, there are continuous embroidery patterns formed on a fabric before cutting or sewing and single embroidery patterns formed on a work cloth after cutting or sewing. Therefore, conditions for management, such as a turnaround time of embroidering and the size of the embroidery pattern, vary with the embroidery pattern.
At a small plant, the number of the embroidery sewing machines is relatively small, and the number of kinds of the embroidery patterns ordered by the plant is also small. Therefore, the embroidery sewing machines can be easily managed. However, as the scale of the plant becomes large, the installation sites of the embroidery sewing machines are spread out in the plant and the number of kinds of the embroidery patterns ordered by the plant increases. Therefore, it is important to network the embroidery sewing machines. The supervisor assigns operations for embroidering a newly-ordered embroidery pattern to each embroidery sewing machine, and sends the embroidery data to be used in each embroidery sewing machine using the management computer. Wasted operations at the entire plant can be eliminated by such that the supervisor supplies materials and products as necessary in accordance with work progress, manages the operations so that the work is provided evenly to all operators, and speedily takes countermeasures toward the embroidery sewing machines when an abnormal condition occurs. Therefore, operating efficiency can be increased.
However, in the conventional management system, as the number of embroidery sewing machines to be managed increases, the amount of information to be displayed on the display of the management computer also increases. Accordingly, it is difficult to manage all the embroidery sewing machines at the same time. There may also be cases where the plants to be managed are spread out in all parts of the world. In this case, the number of embroidery sewing machines becomes enormous, so that the management of all the embroidery sewing machines becomes more difficult. In particular, it is serious when the information sent from all the embroidery sewing machines cannot be displayed in a frame on the display. In order to obtain the information of all the embroidery sewing machines, the supervisor has to scroll the information on the screen and interchange the pieces of the information. As a result, the supervisor gets tired, or confused, and may miss important information. Information of the desired embroidery sewing machine can be displayed by searching the information under certain criteria. However, a key operation, such as inputting new criteria every time searching criteria change is required causes the management operation to become troublesome and time is wasted.
On the other hand, as the number of the embroidery sewing machines to be managed further increases, the amount of data collected in the management computer becomes extremely large. Therefore, the amount of data may exceed the capacity of the computer. In order to address this problem, a method is conceivable in which the number of the embroidery sewing machines to be managed by one management computer is reduced by using a plurality of management computers. However, if the number of the management computers is increased, the management is spread over many places. Accordingly, collective management becomes difficult. When the management computers are spread out in all parts of the world, data exchanged between the management computers may be mixed. Therefore, the collective management of the whole management system becomes more difficult.
In view of the foregoing problems, the invention provides a sewing apparatus management system that can manage a plurality of sewing apparatuses via a network with improved efficiency. In the sewing apparatus management system, one or more management computers are used to manage the plurality of sewing apparatuses.
According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, a sewing apparatus management system may include a plurality of sewing apparatuses; a plurality of terminals are provided, each corresponding to a one of the plurality of sewing apparatuses; and a management computer connected to the plurality of terminals via a network to manage the plurality of sewing apparatuses, various management information for the plurality of sewing apparatuses being transmitted from the plurality of terminals to the management computer; wherein the management computer comprises a classification information storage device to store classification information obtained by identifying the plurality of sewing apparatuses and classifying the same into a plurality of groups according to a category; and a managing device that selectively manages, when one of the plurality of groups is selected on the management computer, at least one sewing apparatus belonging to the selected group.
With this configuration, the management computer manages the plurality of sewing apparatuses based on the management information transmitted from the plurality of terminals. Upon a selection of one of the plurality of groups, the management computer handles the management information associated only with the selected group and selectively manages a part of the plurality of sewing apparatuses. Accordingly, the management computer handles, at any one time, a limited number of sewing apparatuses and a lesser amount of management information and, as a result, takes a shorter time to identify relevant sewing apparatuses and process relevant management information. Thus, the plurality of sewing apparatuses can be managed with improved efficiency, each serving apparatus, for example, including an embroidery sewing machine and an embroidery data processing apparatus.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, a sewing apparatus management system may include a plurality of sewing apparatuses; a plurality of terminals each provided corresponding to each of the plurality of sewing apparatuses; and a management computer connected to the plurality of terminals via a network to manage the plurality of sewing apparatuses, various management information on the plurality of sewing apparatuses being transmitted from the plurality of terminals to the management computer, wherein the management computer may include: a display device; an input device; a classification information storage device to previously store classification information obtained by identifying the plurality of sewing apparatuses and classifying the same into a plurality of groups according to a category; and a display controller that selectively displays, when one of the plurality of groups is selected on the management computer using the input device, the various management information on at least one management apparatus belonging to the selected group.
With this configuration, the management computer manages the plurality of sewing apparatuses based on the management information transmitted from the plurality of terminals and displayed on the display device. Upon a selection of one of the plurality of groups by a supervisor, using the input device, the management information associated only with the selected group is selectively displayed on the display device. Accordingly, the display device of the management computer displays a lesser amount of the management information at any one time, and allows the supervisor to search the displayed management information for specific management information in a shorter time. Thus, the plurality of sewing apparatuses can be managed with improved efficiency.
Further, the sewing apparatus management system may preferably include a transmission control device that selectively transmits instruction information inputted from the input device on the management computer to at least one terminal of the at least one sewing apparatus belonging to the selected group.
With this configuration, the management computer transmits the instruction information, inputted by the supervisor using the input device, selectively to the terminals of the sewing apparatuses belonging to the selected group. The management computer takes a shorter time to identify the destination terminals from among the plurality of terminals and transmits the instruction information to the destination terminals quickly. The management information and the instruction information can be exchanged efficiently between the management computer and the terminals of the relevant sewing apparatuses. Thus, the plurality of sewing apparatuses can be managed with improved efficiency.
Further, the sewing apparatus management system may preferably include a category setting device that sets the category to be used for classifying the plurality of sewing apparatuses on the classification information storage device.
With this configuration, the category setting device allows the supervisor to arbitrarily set the category used for classifying the plurality of sewing apparatuses into groups. Thus, the plurality of sewing devices can be managed, as required by the supervisor, with improved efficiency.
Further, the management information may preferably include work progress information on the plurality of sewing apparatuses, and the management computer comprises a progress display device that allows the display device to display the work progress information in a predetermined format.
With this configuration, the work progress information of the relevant sewing apparatuses is displayed as part of the management information on the display device of the management computer. This allows the supervisor to easily check the progress of work performed by the relevant sewing apparatuses. Thus, the plurality of sewing apparatuses can be managed with improved efficiency.
Further, the management information may preferably include embroidery data necessary for work performed by the plurality of sewing apparatuses, and the management computer comprises an embroidery data display device that allows the display device to display the embroidery data in a predetermined format and an embroidery data setting device that arbitrarily sets the contents of the embroidery data.
With this configuration, embroidery data for the relevant sewing apparatuses are displayed for the supervisor. In addition, the embroidery data setting device allows the supervisor to arbitrarily set the contents of the embroidery data. The embroidery data used for the plurality of sewing apparatuses can be set as required by the supervisor. Thus, the plurality of sewing apparatuses can be managed with improved efficiency.
Further, the sewing apparatus management system may preferably include a display item setting device that arbitrarily sets an item of the management information displayed on the display device.
With this configuration, the display item setting device allows the supervisor to arbitrarily set the management information item displayed on the display device. Accordingly, only the management information item required by the supervisor is displayed. Thus, the plurality of sewing apparatuses can be managed with improved efficiency.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, a sewing apparatus management system comprising a plurality of sewing apparatuses; a plurality of terminals each provided corresponding to each of the plurality of sewing apparatuses; and a plurality of management computers each connected to the plurality of terminals via a network to cooperatively manage the plurality of sewing apparatuses, management information for the plurality of sewing apparatuses being transmitted from the plurality of terminals to the plurality of management computers, wherein each of the plurality of management computers is accessible to at least one terminal of at least one sewing apparatus assigned thereto to manage the at least one sewing apparatus, and a specific management computer among the plurality of management computers is authorized to gain access to other unspecific management computers and to terminals of sewing apparatuses assigned to the other unspecific management computers.
With this configuration, each of the plurality of management computers cooperatively manages the sewing apparatuses assigned thereto, based on the management information transmitted from the corresponding terminals. When the specific management computer gains access to the other unspecific management computers, the management information on the sewing apparatuses assigned to the other unspecific management computers is transmitted to the specific management computer. Normally, the plurality of sewing apparatuses are managed cooperatively by the corresponding management computers, and all the sewing apparatus are collectively managed, when needed, by the specific management computer. Accordingly, the specific management computer handles, as one of the plurality of management computers, a limited amount of management information during normal management and, when needed, performs centralized management of all the sewing apparatuses. Thus, the plurality of sewing apparatuses are managed via the network with improved efficiency, each sewing apparatus including an embroidery sewing machine and an embroidery data processing apparatus.
Further, each of the plurality of management computers may preferably include a display device, an input device, and a limited display control device that limitedly displays, in response to an operation of the input device, the management information received from only the at least one accessible terminal, and the specific management computer may include a privileged display control device that privilegedly displays, in response to an operation of the input device, the various management information received, by authorized access, from the other unspecific management computers and from the terminals of the sewing apparatuses assigned to the other unspecific management computers.
With this configuration, normal management is performed cooperatively by the plurality of management computers, while centralized management is performed by the specific management computer, which is included among the plurality of management computers. Such collective management does not increase the amount of management information displayed on the display device of the specific management computer. The amount of management information displayed at any one time is reduced on the display devices of both the specific and the unspecific management computers. Thus, the plurality of sewing apparatuses are managed via the network with improved efficiency.
Further, the sewing apparatus management system may preferably include an assignment setting device that arbitrarily sets assignments of the plurality of sewing apparatuses to the plurality of management computers.
With this configuration, the assignment setting device allows the supervisor to arbitrarily and desirably set assignments of the plurality of sewing apparatuses. Thus, the management efficiency can be further improved.
Further, the various management information may preferably include work progress information for the plurality of sewing apparatuses, and each of the management computers comprises a progress display device that allows the display device to display the work progress information in a predetermined format.
With this configuration, the work progress information of the relevant sewing apparatuses is displayed, as part of the management information, on the display device of each of the management computers. This allows the supervisor to easily check the progress of work performed by the relevant sewing apparatuses. Thus, the management efficiency is further improved.
Further, the management information may preferably include embroidery data necessary for the work to be performed by the plurality of sewing apparatuses, and each of the management computers comprises an embroidery data display device that allows the display device to display the embroidery data in a predetermined format and an embroidery data setting device that arbitrarily sets the contents of the embroidery data.
With this configuration, embroidery data for the relevant sewing apparatuses are displayed for the supervisor, as part of the management information, on the display device of each of the management computers. In addition, the embroidery data setting device allows the supervisor to arbitrarily set the contents of the embroidery data. The embroidery data used for the plurality of the sewing apparatuses can be set as required by the supervisor. Thus, the management efficiency can be further improved.
Further, the sewing apparatus management system may preferably include a display item setting device that arbitrarily sets an item of the various management information displayed on the display device.
With this configuration, the display item setting device allows the supervisor to arbitrarily set the management information item displayed on the display device of each of the management computers. Accordingly, the management information item displayed on the display device can be set according to the work desired to be managed by the supervisor. Thus, the management efficiency can be further improved.